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Top 10 American prospects to watch for 2014 NHL draft

Highly-regarded 2014 NHL draft prospect Blake Clarke boasts a sizzling shot, and somewhere in St. Louis there is a tortured garage to prove it. "I have a net set up in the garage at home and I've been shooting

Highly-regarded 2014 NHL draft prospect Blake Clarke boasts a sizzling shot, and somewhere in St. Louis there is a tortured garage to prove it.

"I have a net set up in the garage at home and I've been shooting a couple of hundred pucks a day since I was 9 or 10," said Clarke, 17, who plays for the North Bay Battalion in the Ontario Hockey League.

He admits that the back wall of the garage was heavily damaged by his practice habits. There were casualties before the family added a tarp to catch his errant drives.

"Our dining room is right behind it," Clarke said. "(A shot) went through the wall and hit the china cabinet and broke some stuff. My dad was not happy."

The work and damage seemingly has paid off because NHL Central Scouting has designated Clarke as an 'A' prospect for the June draft. The early projections have Clarke landing somewhere in the middle of the first round. He's 6-2 and scored 19 goals last season as a first-year OHL player.

This is expected to be a good draft for U.S. players, with roughly 25 Americans showing the potential to go in the first 70 to 80 picks.

Here are others on USA TODAY Sports top 10 American-born forwards and defensemen to watch:

2. Center Nick Schmaltz (Green Bay, United States Hockey League): The Wisconsin native and North Dakota recruit is a slick, offensive catalyst with the potential to be a No 1 or No. 2 center at the NHL level.

"He's a high-end talent," said Jim Johansson, who oversees the U.S. national teams. "He's as pure of an offensive guy as we have had in a while. He has good offensive instincts and puck awareness. And his hands are lightning quick."

He is the brother of 2012 St. Louis Blues first-round draft pick Jordan Schmaltz.

3. Center Dylan Larkin (U.S. National Under-18): Johannson says the best description of Larkin "is that he just looks like a pro."

The University of Michigan recruit is viewed as a very good all-around player. Central Scouting has him rated as an 'A' prospect.

"What you saw last year was a guy willing to play in the heavy areas, the demanding areas, but he was not quite ready," said former Calgary Flames general manager Craig Button, now a draft expert for TSN of Canada. "Now this year, not only is he ready, but he's assertive. He's able to control and dominate in those areas."

4. Left wing Sonny Milano (U.S. National Under-18): A Notre Dame recruit, Milano has taken a giant leap in his development this season. He's another 'A' prospect.

"All of the good things he was doing last year, he's doing at a much higher pace this year," Johannson said. "That makes him even more dangerous."

He can rip across the ice like a lightning strike. "He's a flashy player, and if you get caught flat-footed against him you are done for," said his teammate Larkin.

5. Center Ryan MacInnis (Kitchener, OHL): He is the son of Hall of Fame defenseman Al MacInnis, an executive with the St. Louis Blues.

The young MacInnis is a thin 6-4, two-way center who is just beginning to explore the physical side of his game. He's a 'B' prospect who could be an 'A' by the end of the season.

"He's a big, lanky kid," said Clarke, who was MacInnis' teammate for many years in St. Louis. "Good skater. Good hands. The one thing that stands out for me is his vision. He's a great playmaker. And in a center, that's what you look for. I think a 6-4 center who is good defensively, can skate and passes well is pretty rare."

6. Defenseman Jack Glover (U.S. National Under-18): Red Line Report, an independent scouting newsletter, had Glover rated mid-way through the first round in its September report.

He's 6-3 and he has committed to play at the University of Minnesota. Larkin says Glover is one of the hardest workers on the national team.

7. Defenseman Jack Dougherty (U.S. National Under-18). Central Scouting has him rated as a 'B' player, but there's a consensus he has the potential to climb into the first round. He's 6-3, and versatile enough to play in all situations.

He scored a goal in the U.S. All-American Prospects Game in Pittsburgh on Thursday night with a nice shot into the corner of the net.

8. Center Chase De Leo (Portland, Western Hockey League): A California native, De Leo has been labeled an 'A' prospect by Central Scouting. He's already played two seasons in the WHL, and last season produced 18 goals and 38 assists for 56 points in 71 games.

Scouts like his skill level. His primary issue will be that he is not very big by NHL standards at 5-9, 177 pounds. He's started the WHL season strong, scoring three goals in his first three games.

9. Defenseman Josh Jacobs (Indiana, USHL): A Michigan State recruit, Jacobs (6-2) is an offensive style defenseman who is expected to benefit by playing for coach Jeff Brown, a former NHL defenseman.

"(Jacobs) is such a good and free skater," Button said. "Sometimes with young defensemen, skating helps get them out of trouble. But what I see now with him he is using his skating to command the game."

10. Center Ryan Donato (Dexter High School (Mass.): He is the son of former NHL player Ted Donato. Their playing styles are different, but it's clear to scouts that he has inherited his father's ability to think the game.

"His dad was a really smart player and he is smart," Button said. "… He has poise and hockey sense. He has the mentality to make plays. He just needs to learn to do things quicker, at a higher pace, as all young players. But I like his head. He's always looking to make a play."